Humans tend to live as if time was of no concern and assume that conditions around them will stay rather constant. Living on a barrier island (or a volcano or a seismic fault) will teach you otherwise since the […]
Middle November seems to be a “halfway house” for weather. One day it will be cool in the morning and moderate in the afternoon then it will be very hot and humid for a day. So it can be a […]
By the end of October air temperatures start to drop in a noticeable fashion and I turn off my air conditioner. You no longer have to limit your outdoor activities to the morning to escape the afternoon heat. Yet the […]
As I write this in the last week of September there is certainly a decline in butterflies, the appearance of some new flowers and loss of others, and leaves are falling in some numbers, especially tulip poplars. There is no […]
As the early Fall season continues you might think there would be a significant abatement of life as temperatures cool and leaves begin to fall. Such is not yet the case in early September as […]
In late August, natural events make it clear that Summer is coming to an end. Not only are daily high temperatures diminishing significantly but we are seeing the appearance of typical ecological occurrences that signify the end of hot weather. […]
So far this summer has been quite wet and warm but we have entered a somewhat cooler although still wet period. It has been a pleasure to be able to go outside with high temperatures only near 80 F. […]
Although the weather had been unsettled previously in July with much rainfall and a huge storm, this did not prepare me for the onset of true summer weather as August approaches . The oppressively […]
There is an old saying, “you can run but you cannot hide!” I had just returned July 5 from a short trip to FL to continue to clean up after the devastating hurricane Milton which had a huge storm surge […]
I came to Englewood FL in early summer to experience the beauties of the season and I was not disappointed. The parched Spring landscape has begun to receive heavy afternoon rains. A view from my back porch of an […]
As Spring comes to an end I continue to see more and more butterflies as additional flowers bloom and the weather warms. One of the “bioindicators” of an approaching summer is the fabulous great spangled fritillary which is distinguished by […]
Monumental changes are underway in my backyard as I suddenly start seeing many species of butterflies that were not previously present. Is this due to my finding a 4 leafed clover and getting lucky? I do not think so since […]
Now in the second week of May it is about six weeks before the official start of summer. It remains cool at night often near 50 F, and warm after midday in the middle 70’s F. Plants are growing at […]
Nights are getting warmer and daytime highs are definitely increasing so we are in that time of year when spring is beginning to transition towards summer. Spring ephemeral wildflowers are almost finished blooming as the tree leaves are out, blocking […]
This is my fourth spring in the Piedmont of N Carolina but due to a family event is the earliest I have returned from winter in FL. Middle March is still early enough to enjoy the spring ephemeral flowers but […]
As I write this on March 5, official Spring is just a few days away on March 20. We see very little ecological indicators of Spring here in SW FL since the rains are still about two+ months away and […]
After some very cold weather in January, conditions have warmed up considerably in February. A great blue heron observing a sunrise from Chadwick Park on Manasota Key seems to be contemplating the upcoming day and opportunities to catch fish. […]
You might think that winter would be brown and bleak but such is not the case in SW Florida. Aside from the coastal damage to many plants caused by hurricane Milton on Oct. 9, 2024, and the generally dry weather […]
The weather in middle January in SW Florida can be periodically cool even down into the 40’s F at night but generally is sunny and warm by midday. A view of my beloved Haw River in NC shows a […]
I am writing this between Christmas and New Years so all is very much in a holiday mood. But of course here in SW FL our weather is definitely not in the […]